GARNETT — It was a frustrating night for the Iola High Mustangs in their 68-37 blowout loss to Chanute during Iola’s opening game of Anderson County’s Bulldog-Wildcat Classic. Iola (10-11-12-14—37) (FG/3-FT-F-TP) Cooper 3/0-0-2-6, Endicott 0/0-0-2-0, Taylor 1/1-1-1-6, Aiello, 2/0-0-1-4, Hermstein 3/0-2-1-8, Macha 3/0-5-3-11, Peterson 0/0-2-4-2 Chanute (23-12-21-12—68)
“They were definitely hot earlier,” coach Bill Peeper said. “The part that made it more challenging was it wasn’t just one guy shooting lights out, I think four guys hit threes. That adds an extra challenge.”
In the first half, the Comets made six 3-pointers. For the game, they made 10.
“In my heart of hearts, I don’t feel like they’re a team that is that much different than us, but they sure looked it tonight,” Peeper said.
“I felt that we were really timid and we were on our heels for the most part. Their defense got in our heads and threw us a for a loop. We didn’t really recover.”
The game started with Chanute taking a 6-0 lead, thanks to consecutive 3-pointers. Iola’s Kaden Macha got the Mustangs on the board with a rebound and putback basket, while being fouled. After making the free throw with 6:30 left in the first quarter, Iola didn’t score again until the three-minute mark.
During that period, the Comets took a 16-3 lead. Macha ended the drought with two free throws. After a 5-0 scoring run by Chanute, Iola’s Alex Bauer threw a pass to Ben Cooper for a nice jumper. Brett Taylor followed with a 3-pointer to end the first quarter and Iola down, 21-10.
“The second quarter we did much better and I think we lost by one point 12-11,” Peeper said. “I felt like we were aggressive, but then we came out in the second half and it was more of the same.”
To start the second quarter, Macha kept Iola’s scoring drive alive by dishing the ball off to Taylor under the basket for a quick score.
However, for every basket Iola made, Chanute seemed to answer.
Iola trailed at the half, 35-21. With time expiring in the half, Cooper found Macha for a quick, one-handed shot that fell in.
The second half wasn’t the Mustangs’ friend. Chanute started with a 4-0 scoring run, before Adam Peterson knocked in two free throws for the Mustangs. Iola trailed 39-23 and couldn’t stop the hot-shooting Comets from scoring.
Chanute opened up a 20-point cushion, thanks to consecutive 3-pointers and had a 47-25 lead with three minutes left in the third.
Iola ended the quarter with two scoring possessions. Brice Aiello has a nice turnaround lay-in and Travis Hermstein stole the ball for a breakaway lay-in. He was fouled on the play and made the free throw.
Chanute led 54-33 going into the fourth quarter.
Iola started the fourth with Taylor finding Cooper cutting inside for a quick score. That was the only field goal the Mustangs had in the period. More 3-point shooting from the Comets and hard drives to the basket, put the Comets up 30 points for the final margin.
“It’s frustrating that we didn’t make progress as the game went on,” Peeper said. “We were flustered and that was that.”
Iola takes on Louisburg at Ray Meyer Gym on Thursday at 6:45 p.m.
Mustangs stung by 3-point shooting
